Waffling before the
full on retreat:
Speaking with radio host Hugh Hewitt Tuesday, Rubio said the Senate should “strengthen the border security parts of this bill so that they’re stronger, so that they don’t give overwhelming discretion to the Department of Homeland Security.” He said he was working with other senators on amendments to do just that.
Then Hewitt asked: “If those amendments don’t pass, will you yourself support the bill that emerged from Judiciary, Senator Rubio?”
Rubio answered, “Well, I think if those amendments don’t pass, then I think we’ve got a bill that isn’t going to become law, and I think we’re wasting our time. So the answer is no.”
Now see, that last sentence right there is what you call grade-A, classic cowardice. Rubio isn't saying the provisions of the bill he helped write, and that passed in committee, is a bad bill. Or that he agrees with amendments which are, of course, designed to kill the bill. He's saying that the bill he wrote (if it remains intact) won't get enacted into law, so therefore he's going to vote against it.
Me writing back in January:
If Rubio is going to be a contender for the GOP nomination, he's going to have to abandon his own bill. I am predicting he will do so, beating a full on retreat as opposition from the right continues to mount. He will blame President Obama for his retreat, accusing the President of 'amnesty' while running away from his own bill.
That's the only reason Rubio isn't fighting for his own bill. When weighing the balance between sensible immigration reform and his personal ambitions, it is clear who Marco Rubio is fighting for.